Eddie Griffin labled as biggest rookie disappointment by ESPN

How could you judge a player who is only 19 years old??? That is totally unfair.

 

Eddie Griffins perfomance so far has been a disappointment because he was the highest touted player in the draft. He was suppose to go #1. He was suppose to be the next Duncan, Reef, or Rasheed Wallace but he has shown none of their skills on offense.

Eddie Griffin's performance is a direct result of Rudy T coaching. Rudy T tried to use EG like he used Mo Taylor or Jason Collier with the pnr and a jump shot. EG failed to have the same stroke Mo Taylor did so they stopped going to him. Eddie is not being coached to create off the dribble, or to go to a low post game which is where he will exceed.

 

Excellent post Nike.

 

The year of college was useless for Griffin, IMO. Seton Hall is far from a top program, and he didn't get along with teammates, and the coach did not run the ship well, considering he had two dominant defensive big men (Griff w/Dalembert) at his disposal, one with offensive skills. The one year of college didn't exactly add a lot of direction to Griffin's game, only let him have a year as "the man" against a higher level competition. He's no longer the man, now. How much help was one year of college, when he was far and away the best player on his team?

Griffin has not dissapointed defensively. He's just lost, and the rest of the team is lost, on how to use him offensively. ESPN claimed the "flashes" for the HSers. Has Griffin not shown the same flashes? Playing KG and Wallace tough defensively doesn't count? Busting out 13 in the 2nd quarter in Seattle isn't good enough? Showing a 3-point touch? Controlling the paint in, dare I say, Hakeem-like fashion, in spurts? The Sheed-like turnaround?

 

Wallace put up 10 and 4 his rookie year at age 21 and did not become a "star" until his 5th/6th year.

Shareef put up solid numbers, but he was the only option for the Grizz.

Duncan is not even comparable - he was older, fully experienced, and already had a pro body (not to mention the fact that he was put at the 4 instead of 5 because of Robinson).

Griffin was considered a possible #1 for what he would be able to do in the future, not in his first year.

 

Still he should show some low post skills... I have watched Chandler and Curry and they both show the skills they have on offense...I love the rockets and I blame the coaching staff and Moochie for Griffin not getting the low post or 5'-15' shot game going ala Gasol...

 

Remember, even Kobe, T-Mac and Dirk Nowitzki (I am sure there are more examples) kind of sucked during their first year in the NBA. Eddie Griffin should not be judged by his stats during the first year - he is the youngest player ever to start a game for the Rockets, don't forget that...

 

You're missing ESPN's point. With Francis & Mo-T this was a perfect opportunity for Griff to make an impact. Instead he is content to shoot 3's.
His play has not been too disappointing but he definetely did not step up like he could have with all of our injuries.

 

I have seen Chandler and Curry as well, but I haven't seen that much more of their skills than I have of Griffin's...

 

I am not surprised that ESPN called Griffin a disappointment. That's what happens when your shooting percentage looks like a batting average and your coach gives you no playing time.

 

That's a lot of tongue action ESPN's gonna have to give Eddie when he's an all-star and they can't get an interview.

Start wetting your whistle, Ric.

 

I'm pissed at the kind of shots he gets. He post up or runs the court hard and gets waved off., Mobleypost up Steve Kerr twice and miss in the post. Isn't it something wrong with this picture? Why can't we have sets that keep him around the basket like the do with Haywood and Brown. They have the best player to play the game, but yet instill, you don't see those two 23ft from the basket. I think the offense cripples him just as it cripples Morris who should be our 3 man, not 4. I see Jefferson and Collins playing but yet , it takes injuries for our young guys to play. Rudy just needs to let the chips fall, start eg and Morris, bring Torres off the bench for Mobley and work the rotation like that. Its not like we're trying to win the ring this yr anyway. We have to go on a serious winning streak just to finish .500. Play the young guys and lets see who can play and who can't.

 

I don't know about some of yall, but Griffin hasn't been a disappointment at all for me.

When he's in the game, you can FEEL IT. He gives us what we sorely need - a shotblocker in the middle. EVEN in this early stage of development, he is a legit shotblocker. He's averagin 1 block in <b>15 minutes of play</b> per game. Check out some of the other stats this year - Kenyon Martin averages exactly 2 blocks in <b>36.8 minutes</b>. Pau Gasol averages exactly 2 blocks in <b>34.8 minutes</b>. If Eddie got a regular 30 -35 minutes a game, he would definately average at least 2 blocks a game and be in the top 15 in blocks per game... not too shabby at all considering he's only 19.

Even when he doesnt block shots, he challenges many of them. I saw at least 3 or 4 times in the Blazers game where Eddie ended up changing people's shots and forcing them to miss. The timing and athletecism of his shot blocks are very good already... he has an uncanny instinct to block the hell outta whoever drives the lane... a disappointment? I think not! Anytime you can feel a guy's presence in the game, it is definately not a disappointment.

His offense hasnt been too great, but what did you expect? His main purpose this year was to provide defense and rebounding and he has done just that- as far as offense, this year is supposed to be a learning year. Despite his low shooting percentage, he has shown the ability to hit the long range shots and I'm sure that his consistency will improve with time. The few times that he has gotten the ball in the post, he has shown a beautiful turnaround that I think can be unblockable in due time.

I dont see how you can call the guy a disappointment - we drafted him because he was gonna be a superstar, but not an offensive scoring machine superstar. His most valuable asset is his incredible defense, and I think he's done a pretty good job showcasing it. HIs offense will come around... if you're just lookin at his FG percentage, you are being misled.

 

Blaming Cuttino Mobley and Steve Francis is a weak copout. They didn't prevent KT and Willis from putting up big numbers did they? Griffin's inexperience, lack of weight, and reliance on the 3 point shot is what is hurting him. Screw ESPN he isn't the biggest disappointment, I don't consider him a disappointment at all, but his lack of struggles is learning to adjust to the team. I like how place like ESPN constantly talk about how there is to much pressure on rookies, but when a rookie is eased onto a team they're called a "disappointment". People are so impatient. There were people that wanted Griffin to drop 30 his first night in the league, or average 20-10. You can't expect that, every rookie can't come out and dominate! For every Shaq, and Marbury, and Hill who come right out and dominate there will be a Garnett, or Kobe, or McGrady who take a 1 year or 2 or 3 to put up big numbers and become dominant players. McGrady looked like a scrub his first year in the league, and Kobe was throwing up airballs in big games his first few years. Relax and give them a chance to grow!

 

I think judgment should be reserved until the second half of the season when he has a little experience and has seen all the competition and their schemes at least once. He needs to not force or hurry his shot, and I'm sure with more playing time he would settle down and start hitting them. The kid didn't have a preseason so he is still learning on the fly with limited practice times.

 

The Truth is Francis is what makes the team go, We finally found out the Moochie Norris craze is done and he couldn't start at PG for any other team in this league with the possible exception of the Golden State Warriors .

To label Eddie Griffin a dissapointment is a very poor judgement. Kobe Bryant wasnt God's gift to basketball in his rookie year because he didnt get the minutes. I really don't think that One year at Seton Hall under Tommy Amaker helped Griffin mature a whole lot . He got triple doubles with blocks , rebounds , and points and or Yelling at his teammates He didnt learn much about team basketball.

Brown, Curry, and Chandler are not being labeled dissapointment only because they are out of high school

Eddie Griffin is a major part of The Rockets future and Rudy Realizes this, If we Give Griffin 40 mins a night It wont make him a better player, Chances are he will strugle and start to believe that he cant play at all. What he needs is time on the bench, time in mini-camp, time in practice before he can mature


Secondly Where The Hell is Oscar Torres on that list?

 

...and what the heck was Eddie suppose to do this year? 16/12/5/4 ? Yea, right...and when he wasn't even slated to be a major contributor this year? When he wasn't suppose to play any real, significant minutes? Give me a break. Esp-on is going over the top by making up stupid things to write, which don't have real substance!

 

Well Griffin didnt put up Gasol-Like Numbers tonight ... HE PUT UP FREAKING DUNCAN LIKE NUMBERS .

 

I think it's time we all send them nasty e-mails !

 

**** ESPN.... Griffin will get his. That's a given and any moron can see that. Well maybe not, because Ric missed it. Oh well.